The current accepted method of delivering homeopathic remedies designed for systemic effects is sub-lingual administration and/or small portions. (Salves or gels are also used for local administration.)
Sublingual administration either in the form of small amounts of liquid tinctures or pellets or lozenges that dissolve in the mouth is extensively described.
The literature reports the mouth should be clean and free of other materials to allow for effective absorption through the oral mucosa. Usually any food intake for 15 minutes before or after is prohibited or at least discouraged. Nasal or rectal delivery is rarely used, this again only with small volumes. Rarely remedies containing large amounts of drug are diluted with 1-2 cups of water within 12 hours of consumption.
The essence of this invention is that homeopathic remedies, containing relatively few molecules 4× and 5× and above solutions, especially but not limited to ones known to act via the immune system may be made well in advance in large volumes and delivered by other methods. The entire G.I. tract is lined, just below and sometimes contained within the mucosa (the innermost lining), with a rich supply of individual, small groups, and large collections of lymphocytes. Thus a homeopathic remedy delivered to these sites has excellent potential to almost immediately interact with lymphoid cells (or other cells, especially glandular and absorptive gastro intestinal cells) and to start a cascade of events leading to a decrease in disease or alteration of physiologic state. The liver may also alter a prodrug to a metabolically active form (or relatively confine a relatively toxic prodrug to the portal circulation) so this first pass through the liver may be very important; upon being picked up by the blood stream, the mesenchymal and portal circulations first deliver the absorbed materials to the liver and spleen which are extraordinarily important to immune function. In addition, this invention allows more direct and specific delivery to mesenteric lymph nodes, liver and spleen. Delivery to one or all of these organs is especially important for certain diseases such as hepatitis or others affecting these organs. The liver and spleen are two of the largest immunologic organs in the body. In addition the liver has numerous detoxification and synthetic functions that are essential for optimizing health and curing disease; an initial “first” pass through these organs is likely to optimize the bioactivity. Thus, we have discovered that, contrary to current and long-held beliefs in the art and in the literature of homeopathy, delivery to the stomach, small intestine and most of the large intestine of dilute homeopathic remedies can be extremely beneficial. This contrasts to the blood flow from the oral mucosa.
Thus, contrary to current and long-held beliefs in the art and literature of homeopathy, we have discovered
1. that delivery to G.I. Tract distal to the oropharynx and proximal to the rectum is possible (by one of several methods),
2. homeopathic products, especially these homeopathic products, may be taken without the need for special “clean” mouth, (or limiting food and water intake, or restricting foods previously restricted, especially certain agents like mints-flavor which were especially forbidden), and
3. distal delivery may be more advantageous in some situations.
Also, contrary to current and long-held beliefs in the art and in the literature of homeopathy, we have discovered that delivery in large volumes of liquid (anything over a teaspoon or certainly over a tablespoon) is possible so that according to this invention delivery is possible and advantageous without the need for a special “clean” mouth, i.e., without being limited with respect to food and water intakes before and after the administration of the preparation, without the need to keep the preparation in the mouth for any period of time (typically 15-90 seconds) and without the requirement not to have any food within minutes to hours as well as without the requirement to entirely avoid certain forbidden agents such as mint flavors. In fact, the preparation may be taken mixed with pleasant-tasting beverages like juices, health drinks, water or other drinks.
We have also discovered that even when large volumes are not used, delivery to the stomach and to the intestines can be most advantageous. Encapsulation and other strategies allowing delivery specifically to the stomach, the small intestine and to the large intestine has been discovered to be extremely beneficial. Historically some practitioners who give oral preparations of materials that, had they been prepared as homeopathic preparations and given sublingual, would be homeopathic and, are considered naturopathic or nutritional practitioners. They typically require delivery of much higher doses and lack the micro-medicine benefits of homeopathy. These naturopathic methods are very distinct from homeopathic methods in that they do not use succusion to activate and “potentize” the preparation. Vaginal and anal suppositories have been used but generally not as homeopathics, even if some examples of “homeopathic” uses exist, the homeopathic suppositories still tended to be of small volumes. It is also significant that the blood flow to these regions is different from the blood flow to the stomach, the small intestinal tract and even the large intestinal tract because it is not the same as the blood flow to the portal system. Anal and especially vaginal suppositories are more equivalent to local skin salves used heretofore than to a systemic stomach or to an intestinal method of administering homeopathic medicines as described in the instant application.